Stamp-affixing machine.



B. D. STRAIGHT.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27,1909. LQQQQ. I Patented'Nov. 7', 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

B. D. STRAIGHT.

STAMP AFHXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.27. 1909.

1 03,932 Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- B. D. STRAIGHT.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE. APPLlCATlnN FIYLED 05c. 2711909.

1,203,932. 'PatentediNov. 7,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 34 snip safar s rarsnr caries.

BENNETT D. STRAIGHT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MAIL-OM-ETERCOMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Application filed December 27, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENNETT D. STRAIGHT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Affixing Machines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing bad therein to the, accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to stamp 'aflixing machines of that type in whichthe stamps are fed in continuous strip, and are successively severedfrom the strip and aiiixed to the envelop or other surface to which theyare to be applied.

The invention consists in the means employed for feeding the stamps, themeans for severing the stamps, means whereby the severing operation alsoapplies the same,

means for moistening the surface to whichthe stamps are applied, and,further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination ofparts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through ,anend-operated stamp aflixer constructed in accordance with my invention;Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a differ'entposition ofadjustment; Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view illustrating thefeeding device; Fig. 4: is a vertical central section through thefeeder; and Figs. .5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views of a portion ofFig. 2 illustrating the operation.

One diiiiculty encountered in the construction of stamp or label-aihxingmechanism is the variation; in width of the diiferent stamps or labelsdue to the expansion and contraction of the paper, and to other causes.Thus, where the severing of the stamps is effected by a blade, it isnecessary to provide a complex feed mechanism to correctly po- .itionthe successive stamps for severing, and even where this is done, it isdifficult to obtain a perfect registration, and often the cutting is atone side of the exact lineof division. lVith my invention, thisdiiliculty is overcome by tearing the stamps from the strip whichdispenses with the necessity of absolute uniformity in registration;further,

by eifecting the tearing by clamping the Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 535,113.

labels, which are preferably in the form of a roll engaging a pin D.

E is a guide-way for the stamps extending downward from the holder D,and F is a feeder actuated by theplunger B and operated to advance thestamp strip along the guide E. The feeder F may be of any suitableconstruction so long as it feeds the stamps at the proper timeto theseparating and applying mechanism her inafter described. Theconstruction of feeding mechanism which I have herein shown comprises aslide-block F engaging guide-ways E on the opposite sides of'thestamp-guide E, this stamp guide being located so that the stamps willfeed from the roll vertically down beside the plunger. The stamps arepreferably prcssed against the stamp guide by springs E.

The stamps are fed downward by a friction-pawl Gr, pivoted to theslide-block F at G and having a friction surface, such as leather orrubber, as shown at a. The slideblock F is connected by links H H withthe plunger B, the location of the pivots of the connection being suchthat as the plunger moves downward it will rock the pawl G upon itspivot and throw the friction-face a into contact with the stamp-stripand feed the same downward; but, in the upward movement ofthe plunger,the friction-face will be rocked away'from contact with the strip andmove upwardly free therefrom;

In addition to the friction-pawl Gr for moving the stamp-strip downwardat each downward movement of the plunger, I provide a series of pointedpawls I, yieldingly pressed by springs I against the paper strip, thepoints being so constructed that they will engage with the perforationsbetween adjacent stamps when registered therewith. These pawls, arepivoted at the lower ends at 6 upon the slide-block F andat their upperends project over a cross-bar J on the rocking frame J.which is likewisepivoted upon the pivot Z). This r0cking frame has lateral extensions Jwhich project into contact with the guides E which are provided with thecams E these came moving the pointed pawls into and pivoted thereto atM.

out of engagement with the stamp-strip as the plunger moves theslide-block up and down.

The w iole organization of the feed mechanism is such that in thedownward movement of the plunger the friction-pawl will engage and feedthe stamp strip downward but be held out of contact therewith during theupward movement.

Near the upper end of the upward movement of the slide-block the lateralextensions J will ride down the cam-ways E when the pawls I, through themedium of the pawls and the cross-bar, will be forced into contact withthe stamp strip, engaging the perforations as shown in Fig. 3, and movethe stamp-strip upward or downward to a definite position. Thus theposition of the strip is corrected in case there is any difference inthesize of the stamps or in case there should be a minute slippage of thepawl in feeding the stamp-strip down, so that upon each succeedingoperation the friction-pawl will engage with a properly registered stripand advance it to a distance equal to the width of one stamp.

The stamp strip is directed by the guide E to the lower end of the frameA, and at that point a curve E in the guide will project the free end ofthe strip in a horizontal direction and only slightly above the plane ofthe envelop or surface to which the stamp is to be aflixed. At thispoint, the end stamp is severed and applied by mechanism of thefollowing construction: K is a foot which is depressed by the movementof the plunger B and which is adapted to clamp the outer end portion ofthe strip against the surface to which it is to be applied and alsoclamp the strip to the curved portion of the guide above the weakenedline of division of the stamp to be severed. The foot is furtherprovided with a severing section for rupturing the strip along theweakened line intermediate the portions at which the stamp is clamped,the foot being so constructed and arranged relative to the plunger Bthat in the downward movement of the latter the severing portion of thefoot will not be actuated until the strip has first been clamped uponopposite sides of the weakened line. As shown, the foot comprises anopen centered frame K within which is arranged the rupturing member M Kare links arranged upon opposite sides of'the frame K each of. which hasits opposite ends secured to the pivot M and to the frame Arespectively. The foot is yieldably attached'to the plunger by a springL pivotally secured at one end to the plunger and having its oppositeend slidably engaging an eye L upon the upper face of the member M. Thisspring will draw the foot upwardwhen the plunger is retracted, but inthe downward movement of the plunger the foot will not Fig. 5) by meansof springs M and these springs are of sufficient tension to preventdepression of the rupturing member during the initial depression of thefoot. When the member K has reached the limit of its downward movementthe portion of the member M adjacent its pivotal connection clamps theouter end of the strip to the article to be stamped, and the end M ofthe frame K engages the strip beyond the weakened line of severance andclamps the same to the curved portion of the guide. A further downwardmovement of the plunger will depress the inner end of the member Mindependent of the frame K this will rupture the strip along theweakened line intermediate the portions at which the strip is clamped.

The moistening of the gummed surface of the stamp is preferably effectedby drawing a moistened pad over the surface of the envelop just inadvance of the feeding of the stamp, and the severing and application ofthe same. For this purpose, the machine is provided with a moisteningpad N, which is mounted upon a rockable and slidable bearing 0. Themember 0 is provided with trunnions O, which engage horizontal guideslots 0 in the frame A.

P is a swinging link fulcrumed to the frame at its upper end, and at itslower end connected through the intermediate link P with the member 0.

Q is a link connected at one end to the plunger B, and at its oppositeend tothe link P intermediate its fulcrum and the point of connectionwith the linkP.

The construction is such that, in normal position of the parts, wherethe plunger is raised, the pad N will occupy a position slightly abovethe envelop, and at a point where the stamp is to be applied. When theplunger is depressed, the link Q, will swing the link P, and through themedium of the link P will carry the member 0 and pad N rearward, but,before this movement is imparted to the pad, the member 0 will be tiltedby. the action of the links, so that the moistened surface of the padwill contact with the paper. Thus, during the rearward movement, thesurface of the paper will be moistened by the pad, and, when the stamp15 subsequently pressed in contact with this moistened surface, it willadhere thereto.

Upon the return movement of thelinks Q, l

P and P, their initial action will be to tilt the member 0, so as towithdraw the pad from contact with the surface, and avoid wetting it asecond time.

My machine is preferably provided with bell-crank lever S attached tobolt.

various specific features for facilitating the operation of the same.One of these, is the means employed for disengaging the stamp guide topermit of threading a stamp strip therewith. For this purpose, theholder D is pivotally attached at D to the frame A, and the link whichattaches the slide F to the plunger B is formed of the normally foldedsections H H. Thus, the holder D may be swung outward upon its pivot Dstraightening out the folded sections H H and bringing the guide E intoa position where it is accessible for the insertion of the stamp strip.

Another specific feature of my machine is the means employed forstopping the feeding of the strip during the severing operation, whilestill actuating both devices from the plunger B. This consists of acollar R upon the plunger B, to which the link H is connected, and alatch bolt S for coupling said collar to the plunger. The latch bolt Sis normally held in engagement with the plunger by a spring S operatingupon a The outer end of this bell-crank lever has an eye looselyengaging a rod T upon the frame, while at the lower end of said rod is ahead or collar T for tripping the bell-crank lever at a certain point inthe movement of the plunger. This tripping is effected at the completionof the feeding of the stamp strip, and, as soon as the collar isdisengaged, the plunger is free to travel farther to complete itsoperation without further actuating the feeder F.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a stamp or label afiixing device,the combination of a reciprocatory plunger, a feeder for the strip ofstamps or labels actuated by said plunger, a foot carried by saidplunger for clamping said strip at the termination of the feedingmovement thereof, said foot having a movable section for pressing onsaid strip subsequent to the clamping thereof, and means forautomatically uncoupling said feeder and foot from said plunger topermit the further movement of the latter and the actuation of saidindependently movable foot section thereby.

2. In a stamp and label affixing device, the combination with a frame, areciprocatory plunger mounted therein, a member having a latch-couplingengagement with said plunger, a feeder and a clamp actuated from saidplunger through the medium of said member thereon, means operating atthe completion of the feeding movement for unlatching said coupling,said clamp having a portion subsequently operated directly by saidplunger for rupturing the stamp strip and pressing the same against thesurface to be stamped.

3. In a stamp or label affixing device, a plunger for controlling thestamp afiixing the stamp-strip in the ing, stamp strip feeding and stampsevering means actuated by the forward movement of the plunger, meansfor disconnecting the stamp feed before the plunger completes itsforward movement, and a clamp for the stamp strip applied during theforward movement of the plunger while the stamp feed is disconnected.

i. In a stamp or label aflixing device, the combination of a stampholder, a vertical guide from the holder for the stamp strip, areciprocatory plunger beside the guide for controlling the stampaffixing, a strip feed carried by the plunger engaging the strip in thevertical guide, and feeding it forward in the downward movement of theplunger, and means for disconnecting the strip feed before the plungerreaches the limit of its motion.

5. In a stamp or label aflixing machine, the combination of a stripholder, a vertical guide leading therefrom, a reciprocatory plunger forcontrolling the stamp aflixing arranged beside the guide, and a seriesof fingers carried by the plunger adapted to engage perforations in thestrip in its down ward movement to feed the strip forward.

6. The combination with a reciprocating plunger for controlling thestamp aflixing and a stamp feed actuated in the inward movement thereof,of means actuated by the plunger for engaging the stamp stripperforations before the end of the upward move ment, to move suchperforations to a fixed point at each operation.

7. The combination in a machine for feed ing a stamp-strip and severingand applying a stamp, of a reciprocating plunger for controlling thestamp affixing, a stamp feed actuated by the plunger in its inwardmovement to feed the stamp-strip forward, means for disengaging thestamp-feed from the plunger before the end of inward movement thereof,and means for engaging the perforations of the stamp-strip before theend of the return movement of the plunger, to move such perforations toa fixed point at each operation.

8. The combination with a reciprocatory plunger for controlling thestamp aflixin of a stamp feed actuated thereby comprising means forautomatically engaging and movdownward movement of the plunger and beingreleased and moving free therefrom in the upward movement, and means forengaging the stampstrip perforations before the end of the upwardmovement to move such perforations to a fixed point at each operation.

9. In a stamp aflixer, the combination with a frame, of a plunger, anaflixing member actuated thereby, a reciprocatory stamp feedingmechanism, a collar carried by said plunger for moving the feedingmechanism with said plunger, and means for rendering said collar looseupon the plunger, at a cer tain point of its downward motion, andretaining it against participation in the further downward movement ofthe plunger.

10. In a stamp aflixer, the combination with a frame, of a plungermounted in said frame, a stamp affixing member having a swingingconnection with the frame and with the plunger and actuated by thelatter, and a stamp feeding mechanism actuated by the plunger.

11. The combination with a strip-feeding BENNETT :o. STRAIGHT.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. IRWIN, VERNER NOBLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

